Cloud Service Providers typically face unique challenges when it comes to providing for a global client base. From different levels of expectation, and working practices, even different holidays, communication is extremely paramount to ensuring a solid working relationship.
One way that an organization can enhance its offerings to this global marketplace is through multilingual support.
In my own experience of working with global partners across a number of roles and industries, having the ability to communicate effectively in multiple languages and dialects, sets many businesses apart from their competitors.
It’s not just about the importance of being able to communicate directly with people, offering technical support and specific specialized information, but it’s about respect and understanding of diverse cultures and needs. We like to be able to understand and communicate with people in a natural way - it’s just human nature! We are more likely to trust someone if we know that we can communicate with them in our own native language.
The Importance of Multilingual Support
(Source: Intercom)
Many Cloud Service Providers have services and products that offer global appeal. It’s more than likely that if your business provides IaaS, or PaaS, that those will be as valid for an enterprise in Japan, as they would be for the US.
So, with this in mind, what are some steps Cloud Service Providers can take to bring a multilingual service that is effective and not performative, to their customer base?
Take a look to see where customers are situated and the diverse languages that those areas have. For example, if agents are speaking to a number of businesses in India, see if it’s possible to offer support in more regional languages such as Telugu, Tamil, and Kannada.
Being able to offer a range of languages can only be facilitated by having the tools to do this. In the past this was often having native speakers, but with Verbum by OneMeta and its suite of tools, businesses can now offer real-time AI translation with tools that directly integrate into their existing tech stack.
Look to see where competitors fall short in “edge” language support and look to fill those gaps. By prioritizing these markets, will set the business apart from others in the field, but also unlock previously untapped markets and opportunities.
Even when employees are able to communicate with ease, businesses should ensure that they are looking at all areas of translation. Continuous training into the nuances of different cultures and languages should be considered. This could encompass understanding the different holidays of a region, or what the family structure typically looks like to help build rapport and relationships with individual customers. If customers know that they are understood and respected in their cultural practices, they are likely to feel further valued and develop an even stronger connection with a company.
As you can see, implementing enterprise-level multilingual support is not just a technical upgrade, but actually a smart strategic move to set a business apart from its competition, and a way to allow your customers to feel truly seen and listened to.
I’d love to know your thoughts, and see if you have any questions at all. Equally, have you ever come across a situation in Cloud Computing that could have been solved with more effective communication? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments.